1. Field of the Inventions
This application pertains in general to the field of medical implants and methods for implantation of such implants. In particular, certain embodiments relates to dental implants and methods for their implantation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of medical implants are known, e.g. as anchoring elements that are intended to be implanted in patients' jaws. Upon implantation these anchoring elements support e.g. dental restorations via a connection interface.
Due to various reasons, such as diseases, bone quality may be poor in certain bone regions of a patient. In edentulous or partly edentulous patients jaw bone tissue may be highly resorbed. Therefore it may be difficult or impossible to satisfactorily anchor conventional medical implants in such damaged or resorbed bone tissue regions. For instance in the maxilla, i.e. the upper jaw, special elongate anchoring elements may be used that are anchored both in the maxilla and in the os zygomaticus, i.e. the zygomatic bone. Conventionally, the anchoring element is affixable by a double anchoring technique in the maxilla and the zygomatic bone. Between the maxilla and the zygomatic bone the anchoring elements extend through a cavity in the skull, the maxillary sinus cavity.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,236 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,926 such an elongate anchoring element and a method of implanting the anchoring element are disclosed. The anchoring element has two generally cylindrical portions with different diameters. A threaded apical end portion of the anchoring element has the smaller diameter thereof, and is intended to be positioned in the zygomatic bone. A threaded coronal portion of the anchoring element has the larger diameter thereof, and is intended to be positioned in the maxilla. The anchoring element is implanted by drilling two aligned bores in the bone tissue. The apical, smaller diameter, portion of the anchoring element is passed through the larger diameter bore in the maxilla and is threaded into the smaller diameter bore in the zygomatic bone. While self-threading by the apical, smaller diameter, portion takes place in the second bore, the larger diameter portion is self-threaded in the first, larger diameter, bore in the maxilla. Thus, the anchoring element may be reliably double anchored when applied.
However, both anchoring elements and methods, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,236 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,926 may be further improved or provided with alternatives. An alternative anchoring element is disclosed in WO2005/079697. The anchoring element comprises a first fixation portion, disposed at the apex, a second fixation portion, disposed at the basis of the anchoring element, and an intermediate portion in between the first and second fixation portion. For instance, working inside and from inside the maxillary sinus may be difficult due to limited visibility, space etc. Access hole in the maxillary bone is sometimes opened towards the maxillary sinus cavity, in order to gain a field of sight into the maxillary sinus cavity. However, this may be both cumbersome and imply healing complications for the patient.
Thus, there is a need for an improved medical implant and/or medical method for implanting a medical implant. Hence, an improved medical implant and/or medical method for implanting a medical implant would be advantageous. In particular a medical implant and/or medical method for implanting a medical implant allowing reliable anchoring in bone tissue; increased surgical flexibility; improved surgical control, e.g. by improved visible feedback of the medical procedure; and/or cost-effectiveness, e.g. by reduced surgery time, patient recovery time, potential side effects; etc. would be advantageous.